Chapter Sixty
CHRIS
With a new sense of resolve, I returned to my pack with the hope that things would fall into place. I, my beta, Glen, and my other guards who had accompanied me to the alpha summit journeyed back to our pack territory. Alpha Dylan’s words continued to echo in my mind, those words gave me the reassurance I needed. But what troubled me more was the mage’s words which never left my mind for once. I failed to mention it to Dylan cause I had felt it wasn’t necessary to do so.
The air was thick as we rode back to the pack through the dense forest, the distant chirping of birds, rustling of leaves and other sounds of wildlife provided solace. There was a sense of unease in the air as we journeyed like something was amiss.
I immediately stopped our carriage and began to scan the environments, my instincts heightened. “Glen, something feels off here. Keep your senses sharp,” I ordered.
Glen nodded, his head instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword. “I sense it too, alpha. There’s something wrong here, the woods seem unusually quiet.”
As we proceeded, rustling sounds drew closer. My wolf senses were on high alert, my body was tensed. A group of rogues emerged from the thicket, surrounding us in an ambush.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.
“Look who we have here. The alpha of the Hallowed Manes pack. Isn’t it a lucky day for us, boys?” the leader of the group said, stepping forward with a wicked grin revealing his teeth. He was a rugged figure who had a large scar etched on his face which was a claw mark.
I clenched my fists, ready for a fight. “Who are you? What do you want?”
“You tell me, alpha. Why am I here? The rogue leader stepped forward. “We’re not here to harm ya. We know who you are, alpha, and we are just gonna have a little chat.”
I exchanged a cautious glance with Glen, preparing for a sudden suspicious movement from the rogues.
“What’s this ‘chat’ about?” I asked, my tone cautious but firm.
The rogue leader smirked. “It’s simple. We know that you’re heading back to your pack after that alpha summit. We’re here to deliver a message to you.”
“What message?” Glen asked, eyeing the rogues warily.
The rogue leader leaned closer, his voice dropping into a low growl. “Let your pack know that we the rogues have eyes everywhere. We are watching your every move and if they step out of line, there will be consequences.”
I scoffed, narrowing my eyes, my instincts sensing a veiled threat. “My pack doesn’t operate on threat.”
“I see,” the rogue leader chuckled darkly. “Then maybe you and your people should learn to. Consider this a friendly warning.”
“Who the hell sent you?” I sneered.
“What makes you think we were sent? Focus on my warnings, will you?!” the rogue leader snapped.
“Like I said, we do not operate on threats,” I snapped too, my tension rising.
The rogue leader growled, exposing his claws. “Then you leave me no choice.”
The rogues quickly overpowered us, outnumbering me and my guards. The clash was swift, I fought dauntlessly, but the rogues managed to capture us.
“Let us go, we mean no harm,” I demanded, struggling from my captor’s grip.
Their leader sneered. “You are the new alpha, ain’t ya? Your pack will be willing to pay a handsome ransom for your return.”
“We are not going down without a fight, alpha,” Glen growled, his eye fixated on mine.
I locked eyes with Glen, silently signaling him to prepare for an opportunity to escape. I freed myself from their grip and charged towards the leader. As I faced off against him, my senses heightened the more. The sun cast an eerie glow over the chaotic scene, and the sound of snarling and growling filled the air.
I and the leader collided, tearing at each other. I swiped at him, cutting a gash in his ears. He groaned aloud and bit into my unguarded shoulder. I howled and tried to shake him off but he held fast until he eventually lost grip and slammed on the floor.
I gripped him by the neck, sneaking life out of him until he passed out. The rest of the rogues began to retreat when they realized that their leader was now lying lifeless on the floor.
“Let’s get out of here,” I ordered. I noticed that a few of my guards had sustained injuries during the scuffle. I too had a minor injury but brushed it off, focusing on returning to the safety of my pack.
“Alpha, you’re hurt,” Glen pointed out to his bruised shoulders, concern evident in his voice.
“Oh, it’s nothing, just a scratch,” I dismissed, my focus set on returning home.
Upon reaching the pack’s territory, I was met by my ever worried mother, who rushed to my side, worry written all over her face. “Christopher, you’re hurt. What happened? Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, Mother,” I reassured her. “We were ambushed on our way back by rogues, but we managed to escape.”
Lothar joined us, his expression sinister. “Alpha, you must tell us everything.”
I nodded, recounting the encounter that had ensued with the rogues, emphasizing the need for immediate action.
“We need to convene with the council immediately,” I said firmly.
“You are hurt, you need to heal before anything else,” my mother insisted.
“I’m fine, mother. This meeting is more important than anything else,” I said and left to prepare for the meeting.
Gathering the council of elders, I explained the recent rogue attack in detail emphasizing the potential threat it posed to the pack’s safety.
“It’s your duty to protect the pack, not ours. Besides, since you became the alpha, all we’ve experienced is turmoil in our territory. Maybe it’s time you step down as the leader,” one of the council elders said.
“We must increase our vigilance and fortify our defenses,” I urged, ignoring the elder’s words. “The rogue’s aggression signifies a larger threat.”
Some of them grumbled at my response while others nodded, expressing their concern and support for my plans to strengthen the pack’s security.